HELP PLZ!! MONSTER EATING MY CHIDS!!

[Jerry Delaney]

So sorry to hear of your problem Jackie. Your post really makes me glad I am growing in a greenhouse. To put in all the effort and then have something come along and destroy it- - - -! I have not had to deal with your problem but in the Midwest the conservation agents recommend a spray of 20% whole egg in water. They claim that it is an excellent repellent for deer and also effective for mice. I don't know about rats or squirrels. There are also sticky traps made for rodents. Maybe you could try some of these between your mounted orchids. Good luck. I love animals but I hope you get the little burger!!

[Jkelee]

I love animals too, just not when the eat/kill my babies
I'm heading to Lowe's tom'r for the tack strip. I'll see what else they have for this problem. Just not poison! I don't want to Kill them, just keep the hell away from my Chids!!
I know that tack strip will work for a minute! If they take a wrong step on/in my Chid Hotel!

[susiep]

Wow, what terrible damage! That sure looks like rodent damage. Geckos just eat bugs. And snail damage is more in spots and not so torn up. Probably a mouse or rat, but maybe a squirrel or bird. I grow outside and occasionally see a rat, so this has me worried, too. Please keep us posted on this, ok?

[dgenovese1]

Aww, Jkelee,

I'm heartsick for you.

It looks like the work of some small rodent like a chipmunk or field mouse...or even a rat as has been mentioned. It sounds like you've got some good ideas on deterring it/them from doing more damage, but one I didn't see mentioned is to use a trap that will allow you to move them to another area once you've got em. I just felt that I could at least throw another worth in.

You're in my prayers and I hope that the situation is remedied quickly.

[Jerry Delaney]

Just a little tip Jackie if you decide to try sticky traps. If you wish to free the "wee beastie" or happen to get the glue on your hands, you will find that soap and water has 0 effect in removing the stuff. Get a bottle of the cheapest baby oil you can find and use that to "wash" your hands initially, then use soap & water to remove the oil. I was plant manager in a facility that manufactured these traps and we just about pulled our hair out before we found the secret!!

[Ranchnanny]

Jackie, I am so sorry for your loss of the Tolumnias. All your hard work and patience how sad. You have put so much work into your 'Chid Motel'......

Sheridan

[Jkelee]

Thanks Jerry, Sheridan, David and Susan for ALL your sweet words here... I need them believe me! I went to Lowes and found some tack strips, so now I just have to nail them everywhere. I couldn't find the sticky stuff ou all mentioned at Lowes.

I'm soooo bummed about this I'm sure it was a rat, as I see what the neighbors call Fruit rats due to the citrus trees we have down here. I see them running the fences! A mouse couldn't have broke my huge spike, nor a lizard. So that leaves a rat or squirrel.

Thanks for ALL the kind words, and great ideas from everyone!!

I'll let you all know how my tack strip works out! I know I'll end up hurting myself though, putting my own hand on the wrong board!

[Leisurely]

I am sorry if I offend anyone who might like rats but I don't mind telling you that I hate them. Always have and always will. The only useful purpose I can see that they serve is food for the birds of prey. Each fall I have problems with them because they come in from various areas to explore my greenhouse. They have even nested behind one of the 2 x 4's. The number of plants they have damaged over the years ranges in the dozens. In order to preclude further damage, I have kept a rat trap set and D-con in high areas along the 2 x 4's that they like to use as a freeway. It's either feed them D-con or let them feed on my orchids. I chose the first option. I recently trapped one that was a big surprise. A rather large black and white spotted. I wasn't sure what it was at first. Someone's pet rat?

[unhappykat]

KILL EM ALL

Put out lots of stickies and strips and traps and get a cat. 2 cats.
Kill everything thats not a cat or chid.

HEHEHE
I MEAN IT!!

[Jerry Delaney]

Hey Jackie! I just took a closer look at the pictures and it looks like there is an undamaged internode on the inflorescence just below the point where it is broken. If you kind of trim a bit so it can heal over and give it some time, I'd almost bet that you will see a secondary spike originate from the node. It won't be as spectaular but should still give you some flowers.
Jerry, I'm with you! There are some that say that if rats didn't exist, there would be much less hunger in the world. I do know where you see one, there can be hundreds you don't see! I helped my uncle on a farm in the Midwest to relocate a corn crib. He had seen an occasional rat around it so before moving it, we piled dirt around the perimeter and attached a hose to the tractor exhaust and proceeded to gas them. When we moved the crib. the entire area under the floor was honeycombed with holes. We picked up 128 dead rats in the 12 X 12 area under the floor. Hard telling how many were down in the holes!